


Rumple on a Shelf

by Gunter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-22 20:03:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17066201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gunter/pseuds/Gunter
Summary: The point of getting an Elf on a shelf is to convince children of the magic of Christmas by moving the doll around. But when the Elf starts to be found in more and more strange poses Belle had to admit that even her is starting to believe in magic. A tale of magic elves, curious children, mutual pining and dorks secretly in love.Suck at summaries, hopeful better story inside! RSS 2018





	1. Of Librarians and their plots

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Spottytonguedog](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Spottytonguedog).



> PROMPT: MODERN AU; NEW TRADITIONS
> 
> Happy RSS Spotty!!
> 
> Hi this is Santa! I really had a lot of fun writing this fic, i hope it met's whatever you where thinking when you write your prompt.  
> I edited this lots of times but it probably has errors, just a fair warming (English is not my mother tongue and i have no beta so: Grammatical errors? in my fic? It's more likely than you think)
> 
> Anyways happy holidays! xoxo Santa

The crisp cold morning wind hit Belle as soon as she put a foot outside, colouring her cheeks pink as she made her way towards the library. Around her the Christmas decorations shined as the morning sun hit them creating a beautiful amalgamation of colours. Some people would have call it beautiful but she knew that the best moment to see them in all their glory was at night, when the plastic decorations and lights coming from the houses were outshine by the Christmas lights that surround them.

Belle loved Christmas! The whole Christmas season. The cheer, the closeness that create in people. The hot chocolate and savory treats. The cosy afternoons seeing the snow fall, thought those were still quite new to her as all her life in Australia had made her expect a warm Christmas, listening to Christmas tunes. Fetching a tree, making and sending Christmas cards. Decorating around the house and baking cookies, thought she was much better in the former than in the later.

Her apartment on top of the library was tiny. It was quite a dichotomy she had with it. On one part she loved that it was close to work, cosy, completely hers as long as she worked as the head librarian, and from the windows she could see all the comings and goings of the town. She should make a nosy neighbour if she were one for gossip but she just liked to imaging other people's life or the same events that occurred in hers from another perspective, and watching people it was the way she did it.

The downside was that it was unconnected to the library. The stairs were tilted, a hazard for someone as clumsy as her, and they didn’t lead directly to the inside of the library but to a door on the back of the construction. She then has to encircle the building towards the door of the library. Also it was too small for the amount of books, and now Christmas decorations, she thrived to have.

As such, and to compensate, the library was one of the most decorated buildings in the town. No matter the complaint the Mayor had put when seeing it a few weeks before. She felt justified considering Mayor Mills didn't let her put money of the library budget in them.

Considering that A) It was a magic season and what's more magical than a library? ergo Library and Christmas decoration where to always go together! and B) many, if not all the children in storybrooke, attended story time in said library Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Obviously it had to be decorated for them!

The Mayor counterattack back then had been that not many of the children were in the age of believing, and they were not many either. There were six usually.

"THAT kid, gold's son, the flecked one, Lily and those other two" counted Mayor Mills "For that lot i don’t think anything more than the usual would do. They are a bunch of troublemakers"

Belle had leave the office fuming. Really denied to expand the budget was already a given to her, very Grinch of the Mayor but expected to be sincere, but the way she spoke of the children? outrageous! Her children were adorable and special.

The usual suspects, as she liked to call them, were Emma Nolan, daughter of a teacher and a police officer. An outspoken little girl with firm believe in justice and duty. She didn’t mind correcting adults if they were wrong while the mayor disliked being corrected, so her dislike of her was well known and completely returned by the kid. Her best friend and accomplice Baden Gold, son of the handsomest men in the town according to Belle, a very intelligent and sweet boy. He shared Emma’s sense of justice thought he was more open to see both sides of the issue before making a precipitate judgement, something the girl lacked. August Booth, adopted son of and elderly couple, he was a jovial kid but usually he was the instigation of the pranks and the mischief the children got into. The first to wash it hands of any involvement when the children got caught too.

There was Lilith Page a quiet but bright child. she always came with her favourite doll a raggedy Anne that had seen better days. Her mother was the mayor's friend and, although she seemed a severe woman, Lily looked up to her mother with nothing short of love and admiration. Sometimes the Zimmer siblings, Nicholas and Ava, joined the group. Although the siblings tended to keep to themselves most of the time Ava had brought dolls to play with Lily more often than not and Nicholas, being the youngest of the lot, loved to play rough housing with the elder boys, something he apparently couldn't do with his sister at home.

They were a lovely group. A little mischievous but good hearted. Belle loved the hour they spended with her in the library. It had been one of Belle first changes to the old Library: install a storytime hour for the children to assist to a story and games among the books under her supervision. She firmly believed that those who were taught to love books and libraries since young keep said love for life, after all that's what happened in her case.

It also give her opportunity to met, know, befriend and fall foolishly in love with a certain parent in special. A crush that she had lately believe returned. Well if her plan go accordingly she would soon be certain of it reciprocation.

Putting her hands on her pocket she pull out the keys of the library and the mistletoe she finally buyed to aid her cause. Today she would get the kiss she had been craving for months. She blushed with pleasure of what it was to come if everything go according to the plan. _Thank god for the cold climate_ thought Belle opening the library _it would be unbecoming to blush over anything._

Anyways trough library budget was scarce as to expend in decorations between her own personal effort at homemade decorations and all the children that decided to help and bring all the decoration not longer in use in their houses, all the library was heavily decorating.

Now were you to ask someone else and they would tell you that there were far many decorations in so different colours that clashed together and hurt the eyes, that some things were not in the best shape and thus the why they were not used in their original homes, and altogether the library seemed too full of things, hanging, push to the corners, put in the walls, etc. and made the space over crowded and overwhelming in general. Most especially the children section when all seemed to reach its craziest peak.

Most parents agreed that, even if their children were happy, the results were …. they were not the best. Some, like Snow and even the mother superior, offered their help to organize the decorations in a more classical Christmas look instead of the disarray of decorations clashing with each others. But Belle always refused those offers.

There was not denying that the kids loved the look of the library They feel proud of their help in arranging the library at free will as their parent often dictated were each thing were to be put in their homes or would rearrange the placement of said things once the children finished or when they were distracted. This was theirs, their own Christmas arrangements.

Belle loved too look of the library like it was: full of life and color, lived in, full of the lul of children happily decorating, chatting and discussing where to put this or that, bringing happily to her draws and cards made for them for the tree. Children often would pick the decorations close to their hands and improve, according to them, the visibility of their favourites. Thus the decoration was always in constant expansion and change. But nothing change more of place as their own elf on the shelf.

Catching sight of the little elf across the entrance make her smile.

“Good morning Rumple!” she called out cherrful “Try to not get into troubles today would you? Today is the big day!”

Looking at the ceiling he continued

“Where do you think i should put this mmm?” Thinking in the late interactions with Gold she decided on a spot close to the chairs he usually use near the child section. “We have put out our trap Rumple! Let's hope we catch something today”

Laughing she started with the task she needed to fulfil in the library before it was ready for patrons.


	2. Of Elves and wishes

Now you may wonder why Belle was enlisting an elf for help with her trap, after all ar not elves on the shelf supposed to condemn naughtiness? Well usually this was true, but Rumple was not the usual Elf. It all started a few weeks before, on the day after thanksgiving.

The librarian had read the tradition about elves on line while researching for fun thing to do with children on holidays. At once she decided to order one for the children,  You could order the book, which was a story that was equal part imagination and explanation of the elf and how to interact with it, and adopt an Elf. Then when the children were not looking move the elf as if the doll was alive.

As such they had read the story about the Elf in the shelf together in the library and and then Balle revealed the elf she had brought. The children were both amazed and scared about the power the little doll had over their future in Santa’s list of good children. But immediately overcame their fear and started to talk, excited to be able to tell directly to the little elf all the thing they wanted from santa.

“But first” Belle soon inform them “We have to choose a name”

Taking out a box and a few pieces of paper and crayons, the librarian proceed to explain the concept of votation to the kids and urge them to nominate names for the doll. To be nominated the name had to be defended in its choice by a child and he or she had to try to convince the crow of the validity of the name for the Elf.

There was little incident choosing the name for the elf since, after consulting with her friends, Emma Nolan stood up and came to the front determined. She had a nomination. Belle had thought that they would choose some elvish name from from the hobbit or so, as that was what they had been reading until recently, but then Emma had insisted that the name she was nominating was Rumplestiltskin like the one in the storybook they read the last month.

“Rumplestiltskin?” replied the librarian confused

“Yes, he will help us if we follow his rules” replied Emma.

“His rules?”

“Yes miss Belle” insisted the little girl as if explaining something to someone very slow “the one in the book about not touching him?”

“Right, right, but still” she still wasn't sure where the parallel had come from “wasn’t Rumple a little...mmm evil? I mean he wanted to take that baby away from its mama.”

“The milliner daughter agree! He should had that baby, it wasn't fair he didn't” Emma was a defender of fairness in all she did and saw, she was always the first complaining about injustice in real life and in the books Belle read to them.

In front of her more and more children seemed won over the idea.

“Yes! you don't promise something and then back out. My papa told me that if you promise something you have to do it” Bae chimed sitting among the children to support his friend.

“Besides if anything Rumple was a little.. naughty not evil. And our elf does look naughty” Emma continued

“How can it be naughty if it is an elf? Santa doesn't like naughty people” Lily argued. To be sincere Belle had thought the same.

“That's why he is here and not in the Pole! who would you let handle present? a naughty elf or a good one? the good elf stays in the pole with santa, the presents, and the reindeers, and the naughty ones get the boring stuff about spying children away from home” Emma ended her argument with the conviction of having pointed out something obvious that only a eight year old could have.

That seemed to convince the rest of the children who apparently followed the rationality of the argument in a way that Belle couldn’t. The nomination was made and none more followed, and so all of the children voted for the imp name, or as close as their writing skills came to spell Rumpelstiltskin. Belle still wasn’t sure but this was a democracy soo… Rumple the elf was its name.

Bae and Emma related all about the elf and the following debate to a confused Mary Margaret, emma’s mother, and a smirking Mr Gold when they come to retrieve them at the end of the hour. Gold congratulate Emma in her campaign, obviously impressed by her solid argument and the way she swayed all her friends into her wishes. This one was born a leader.

Out of all the adult she saw hearing the recount of the day by their children Mr Gold was the only one that could follow the logic of the children and answer according. As they approached the elf to be presented by the children to him Gold turned to look bemused at Belle as he talked to Bae and Emma.

“You would have to watch out then” the landlord remarked “with a name like that the elf will get into difficult places to hide.”

“Oh! you think is going to do much mayhem when we are not looking at it?” Questioned Bae to his papa curiously, exchanging worried glances with his friend.

“if he is as naughty as Emma suggest you can be sure! Miss Belle will have her hand quite full” he ended winking to the librarian.

Belle felt the heat raising in her face and hoped that Mary Margaret, who was speaking to her, would not note her reaction to the pawnbroker little jest.

She had meet Bae's papa, the enigmatic Mr Gold, the first storytime afternoon she had held in the library in the weeks after moving to storybrooke to fill the title of head librarian.

Many advised beforehand against meeting him at all since the same day she had moved to the town. It seemed part of the welcome to storybrooke kit: that's Grannies, food there is amazing! This is the phone of the police, the fireman... oh! and if a man called Mr Gold, he has no first name, looks in your direction don't speak to him just go to home and spread salt in the entrance to ward it. Almost every new person she meet that week had warned her about the terrible owner of apparently more than ¾ of town and the pawn store in front the library.

It made the opposite impression on her than her neighbours expected. Instead of fear the men she longed to meet him and see for herself if he really was all the things the people had painted him to be.

They had been right in the impeccably dressed aspect, the slight swag he pull of even with a cane and a then seven year old Bae in the other hand, and the aura of sheer power that seemed to exude from his person and hided the fact that he was a rater small man: relative thin and short.

What she didn't see was the “slimy cold hearted bastard” that Leroy had told her about.

Gold had a heart, it was plain to her as she saw him interact with his son. The care he took to talk softly, and gently take off the child's clothes. The carefully controlled way in which he had introduce himself first, revealing a delicious Scottish accent nobody had warned her about!, so he could introduce a shy Bae to the librarian.

He was the only parent that stayed behind to supervise his son during the storytime. The other parents just leaved the children and then returned to pick them up or arranged with other parents to left and retired them in mass.

At the beginning this puzzle her. Even if they did well in trust her with the little ones they really didn't know her that well as to leave the children all alone with her. She supposed it was because they were used to trust in their neighbours being a small town and all. But for Belle having another responsible adult there with her those first days in case anything happened while she was reading was reassuring.

He had even taken the time to thank her for the story making an example to his son, who soon copy him in his thanks, and inquired when the next storytime was going to take place before leaving the library and a confused Belle behind him.

Meeting him didn't satisfy her curiosity about the man just increased her hunger for information. unfortunately nobody in the town seemed to share her thirst, talk bad about the man behind his back yes, talk about other thing concerning the man nop. He seemed a ghost in his own town, all hear stories or saw something odd but nobody had anything in concrete about him, his past or even Bae's mother.

The bet’s went from hired womb to murdered after she divorced him, the thing is that the woman wasn't here. She was in fact never here Belle found out later. Mr gold moved with his son after parting with its mother. Belle didn't wanted to admit it but she was instantly glad the woman was out the picture. The residents did all agree that the child was happy anyways and that Mr gold seemed to be a good father.

“But Vito Corleone was a good father too” insisted Granny darkly.

In the end she decided to approach the source. Gold always came early and leaved later than other parents with Bae, and sometimes Emma, in town to give the children the opportunity to check out books or just prater all their hear content as if they had not passed an hour together and were not going to see each other on the morrow again. Sometimes he stayed simply listening to the story and watching Bae. Other times he go around the library looking for his own reading material to check out later.

It give her ample opportunity to talk to the man at the end of each session or just participate in the recount of the story they read by Bae and his friends, paying attention and making the necessary questions even if he was there the whole time and heard the same story that them.

All speak volumes of Mr Gold love for his son and the children in general. Which reinforced her idea that the self assured bastard everybody knew was all a screen of a very shy privet man.

As such at the beginning her approach was not very well received, but with time and patience Mr Gold started to open up. She just had to pick his favourite theme: Bae. At the beginning he was reluctant to speak to her but he could always talk at length about his son, something that seemed to mortified Bae when the child pay attention to what the adults were speaking about.

“Papa! could you and Mis Belle talk about something else?” one day finally complain the child. To her delight Gold only seemed to chuckle at his son whine and proceed to ask about her life.

After breaking the ice, so to speak, Mr Gold started to sought out her instead of simply respond to her question, varying the theme from history of the lower medieval age to town gossip. The man seemed to had time to talk to her or listen to her talk about a book or complaining over the library budget or just talking nonsense that left them both happy and lighter while they waited for the children to be ready to take leave of their friends.

He was so intelligent and, in between, she saw glimpses of what the town saw. It was not evil it was… Wicked! That was the word she was looking for, wicked. He was definitely wicked. The way he talked, the way he smiled and dressed. His biting, sharp, sarcastic sense of humor. And Belle couldn't look away from him.

She didn't knew that from the day she formally met him that he would be important in her life, but now she was sure. Belle couldn’t seem to be away from his presence. He just thrilled all her senses. From never had seen him before to seemingly found him everywhere by “accident”,  sometimes it wasn't really an accident on her side. She just knew he was going to do this or that because Bae say it or Gold has. God, she wasn't an stalker, was she? she hopped no.

That first night with the elf, finally alone in the library, Belle make sure to find a place to move him into. Picking the doll up she stopped to observe the his face.

“Hey Rumple, i hear you make deals for wishes” Remembering the story Belle decided to try. “I have no first born to offer, but now you work for Santa? i have been a good person this year i think. Never kill anyone or kick puppies on my free time, do you think you could grant me a wish?”

Where to put him? It had to be well in sight of the children but away enough as to be away from their touch. She knew that the little ones where not going to touch it, let it lost its magic powers, but they were children. She didn't wanted all their dreams destroyed just because one of them decided to bet another into touching the doll.

Ah! on one of the superior shelf of a sideline bookshelf. Sitting the doll there, Belle turned it so it would be looking to the kids area. Glad with her work she observed the elf. Emma was right, he did look impish.

“You do look naughty, well this is a naughty wish. I want a kiss or a date, better if both! since we are going to ask why not ask big? with Mr Gold, you meet him today remember?” over one shelf Rumple looked impassive.

“Well, do you think you could make it true?” With a chuckle Belle turned around deserted the library leaving the doll behind her.


	3. Of naugty elves and their odd hiding spots

A few nights passed moving the elf around the children’s area of the library and talking to him as she did. Telling Rumple about a particularly thing Gold had say or how he looked that day when he leave or picked Baden from the library.

The kids were still in awe at the apparently moving elf. They had played hide and seek with the elf each visit to the library, taking time to relay their own wishes to the little doll and bonding with it. All seemed quite normal until one day when the kids came to her saying they couldn’t found Rumple anywhere.

Now it was true that Belle had always been a distracted person, her mind always up on the sky as her mother used to tell her, that’s why she didn't give much thought when she couldn't find the elf in which she believed was the spot she had put it last night.

“Maybe” say an accusative Emma, squinting her eyes and glaring at her peers “Somebody touch him and he is trapped without magic somewhere!”

The children were too terrified to even think that someone among them could be as cruel as to take Rumple magic away by touching him.

“I'm sure he just hide better this time!” say Belle, before they started to accuse each other of touching the elf “Let’s find him to make sure he is ok.”

They finally found Rumple on the check out table, Belle must had forgotten the elf there yesterday. The kids found it fun, they were sure that Rumple seemed to be sleeping in the table.

“Poor Rumple, he has to go to the pole and back in only one night all days! he must be very tired” Murmured August.

The children decided to speak low as to not wake the elf and, doing the possible as to not make noise, returned to the children area for their story chiding Belle when she raised a little the voice during the tale.

All parents were expecting them nearby the sleeping elf at the end of the hour. Although they were a little miffle that Rumple seemed to be still asleep, after what it seemed a lot of time for them, they thought how annoying must be if the elf were to wake up at the noise of several extrangers talking around him and so the parents were admonished by their children into silence.

Mr Gold, the only adult not speaking to anybody, found it hilarious. And smirked to the other parents in a way Lily’s mother obviously found annoying if the glare she sent into his direction was any indication.

“Hello Emma, today your mama allowed you to come home for dinner” he murmured to the kids

“Hi Mr G” smiled the kid with happiness “yes, she told me that she was going to speak with you about it”

Both her and Bae had been looking forward to it the full day, and had told Belle as such several times.

“Are you having a nice day?” He looked up including Belle in the question, but before she could answered Emma did it for her.

“Yes but.. oh! Its was true what you said the other day, our Rumple likes to hide very well”

“He isn't hiding, he is having a nap papa” informed his son and both kids proceed to talk about Rumple and the search he had lead them into while pointing to the sleeping elf in the check out table.

“Let's hope he behaves better in the future, but i can't blame him. It seems a nice day for a nap” replied Gold when they finished their tale.

“He must be very tired papa! What else would he be sleeping during the day?

“Yes, taking naps are for baby’s!” said Emma.

“To have that energy again” Belle commented to Gold while the children continued to explain. Mr gold nodded agreeing with her

So, according to them, Rumple must be very tired or he wouldn't be sleep. Santa was overworking their elf! That was the only possible explanation. The pleasant chime of Gold laughing as he looked at the worried children sent a pleasant jolt trough Belle.

“Maybe they need a union on the pole!” he insisted, receiving an amused look from Belle. The kids didn't understand what was so funny, Rumple was suffering! Both leave the library huffing and offended in behalf of their elf with Gold no much longer after that.

* * *

 

Rumple did behave better, and Belle almost forgot about the incident when a three days later they couldn't find the elf again.

“Maybe he couldn't come back from the pole yesterday? There was a lot of snow outside today, makes travelling difficult” offered Bae

“Maybe Santa decided to kidnapped him so he couldn't talk about the inhuman way he treats his elves” say an angry Emma. She had taken to search information about the union with Bae after their talk with Gold the other day and both of them were very worried about the elf health and security.

“Im sure Santa wouldn’t do that” tried to placate Belle, trying not to laugh in front of the children “rumple is just...somewhere. Let’s search for him”

The kids agreed, and they postpone the storytime to look after Rumple. He wasn't in the tree as she had thought and a quick survey found him nowhere in sight. The children checked under some tables to make sure he had not fallen to his death as August put. A more closer look soon revealed the Elf reading an open book in the history section.

“There he is ...he is reading a book?” Something was definite off. Belle was sure she didn't put the elf there yesterday

“No wonder he is in the naughty list!” say Ava behind her “He supposed to see us, but he is just lazing around taking naps and reading books.”

All the kids agreed with her except for Emma and Bae. Emma's was sure their Elf was being oppressed and Bae had the hypothesis that see children's all day must be very boring.

Belle came back for the Elf once the children had leave the library. Someone was moving her elf! The children were obviously not. Maybe another patron?

She picked the elf  and the book up.

“What are you up to Rumple? did you just decided to read…”Belle stopped at the look of the cover. The book the Elf was reading was Sweat and Blood: A History of U.S. Labor Unions,. Now that was just too weird!

* * *

 

She was left to ponder who could be the responsible of the elf expedition, It had to be another patron, the elf couldn’t move alone.

Now which? it was true that many came while she looked after the kid’s and auto check out or waited until Belle was ending the story to call her apart, but who could possible move the elf in a way that not only nobody notice it but also had something to do with what happened before?

That lowered the quantity of people to only the parents of the kids. They had been there this morning to leave the kids, all of them except Lily’s mom. Biting her lower lip she pondered the possibility of Mary Margaret or Marco, August father, moving the toy when a throat clearing call her attention.

“Miss Belle?” Mister gold was just in front of her. Goodness gracious! since when had he been there?

“Mr Gold! It’s time for the kids to leave already?” She blushed prettily under his gaze. Was her idea or he looked especially attentive to all her movements today? He didn’t seemed in hurry to answer her question.

“ Mister Gold?” he seemed distracted today

“mmm? oh, yes. Sorry” was that a flush on his face? Belle wasn't sure since a curtain of luscious soft, or at last it seemed soft not as if Belle had fantasise about it a hundred times, shoulder length hair impaired her vision “Almost, almost. I just, i wanted to return a book? and i also checking out this one”

He extended his hand lending her two books. Their hand touched briefly in the exchange and boy! wasn't too warm for December? the thermostat of the library was obviously falling.

“You already finished the book? What you thought about it?” Belle voice sounded a little too deep to her ears. She hopped the man didn’t noted it.

“I couldn't leave it down” he responded quite enthusiastic “your recommendation had sold it to me and i knew it was going to be good, but really…”

That lead to a long discussion on the ups and down of the plot and other work of the same author until he leave with Bae. Leaving a dreamily librarian behind.

Belle didn’t through on the identity of the elf mover until much late

* * *

Several more incident followed that one. The kids had grown used to the Elf odd disappearances and more odd indeed appearances around the library so stopped to pester Miss Belle and took to find him themselves and only sharing their finding later when their parents came for them

They found the little elf behind a bookshelf. He had a flower and was peering around the corner of said bookshelf. Peering with him the children could see miss Belle in the front table, talking with Mr Zimmer while Mr Gold watched her from the side waiting for a word with her.

“Rumple has a crush!!!” sing song Ava, Lily quickly agree beside her

“it seems your papa has competition” remarked Emma to Bae.

The fact that Bae's papa had a crush on the librarian was a secret Bae had found out very soon after they met Miss Belle and soon shared with his friends. All of them swore to not tell anyone and watched hopeful the interaction between the two adults hopping that soon Bae would get a nice mama out of this. That’s it if Bae’s papa ever invited Mis Belle out as Lily liked to point out.

“My papa will won” The child was confident in this, Then looking down at the elf he feel bad enough to add “No offence Rumple but he can take Miss Belle on a date and you can’t”

“i don't know, your dad didn't ask her out yet!” That was quite true. None of the children understood why the adults had not go out alone yet, but then adults were weird like that.  

“True” Bae admitted “but he is human and Rumple will return to the pole at the end of the Christmas season”

“Bae!! don’t remember Rumple his lack of salary or the fact that he will have to return to that horrible place” Emma admonished to his side, glaring at the boy.

They leave soon after deciding not to tell Miss Belle about Rumple crush on her. After all if they keep Mr Gold crush from the woman they could keep Rumple's too, it was only just they did so.

That night a confused librarian found an elf with a rose waiting for her in the lonely library and smiled to herself. A through enter her mind about the perpetrator of the elf mischief, It was crazy but maybe...?

* * *

Several more incident followed that one. The kids had grown used to the Elf odd disappearances and more odd indeed appearances around the library so stopped to pester Miss Belle and took to find him themselves and only sharing their finding later when their parents came for them

They found the little elf behind a bookshelf. He had a flower and was peering around the corner of said bookshelf. Peering with he the children could see miss Belle in the front table, talking with Mr Zimmer as Bae’s papa looked at her fondly from the side.

“Rumple has a crush!!!” sing song Ava, Lily quickly agree beside her

“It seems your papa has competition” said Emma to Bae.

The fact that his dad have a cruss on Miss Belle was a secret that Bae had found out very soon after they met the librarian and shared it with his friends. All of them swore not tell anyone and watched hopeful the interaction between the two adults hopping that soon Bae would get a nice mama out of this. That’s it if Bae’s papa ever invited Mis Belle out as Lily liked to point out.

“My papa will won” The child was confident in this, Then looking down at the elf he feel bad enough to add “No offence Rumple but he can take Miss Belle on a date and you can’t”

“i don't know, your dad didn't ask her out yet!” That was quite true. None of the children understood why the adults had not go out alone yet, but then adults were weird like that.  

“Yes” Bae admitted “but he is human and Rumple will return to the pole at the end of the Christmas season”

“Bae!! don’t remember Rumple his lack of salary or the fact that he will have to return to that horrible place" Emma admonished to his side, glaring at the boy.

* * *

 

Several days later found the children and Belle in search of a very different doll. Anne, Lily’s doll, was lost. They had just finished the story time when Lily noted the lack of it.

“Where is my doll?” she immediately looked at August. He had taken possession of the doll to hide it before.

“Didn't you left it at the table while we draw before?” reminded her Ava. Approaching the table lily found no doll.

The true was that August did hide the doll after lily leave it in the table. He was going to _find it_ at last time to play a joke on the girl, but after looking in the spot he leave the doll he was surprised to find it empty. No knowing what to say he confessed to the other kids.

“This is not fun August!” Insisted a very annoyed Lily

“It was here!” the kid reassured for the fifth time pointing at where he left the doll

“And what? walked ways like rumple?” the girl raised the voice

“Maybe!” respond a confused August.

“Don’t be silly august” tried to reason Nicholas “Anne is a doll not an elf!”

“Maybe…” interrupted Bae “maybe, rumple is with her? I mean I didn’t see him either today”

“But the dolls came with us, he doesn't move when we are here…right?” Ava seemed confused

The children look at each other, nobody really knew if the elf walked around when they were there.

“So we tell miss Belle or just look around?” asked Nicholas. Looking at the front table they could see Miss Belle and Mr Gold deep in conversation. Maybe no, it was better not to interrupt them. Bae would not like it if they did.

After a little while of searching around the usual places in the library they found rumple and lily’s doll on a window shelf, all the way back in the library. They were playing cards, a few coins between them.

“Rumple is winning this hand, he has better cards” checked Emma before Lily could take her doll back.

“It’s not possible” insisted an angry Lily “Anne is not alive!”

“This is your fault!” Emma insisted turning to Bae.

“My fault” asked a confused Bae

“Yes” insisted the blond girl “you had to remind rumple he needed money to take mis Belle on a date! now look, he is trying to cheat lily’s doll out of her money!”

“My doll doesn't have money!”

“Then who’s money is that in the table?” said Ava lifting a coin

“Well if Rumple was winning i suppose it’s his now” Insisted August

It seemed logic. Even as Lily complained in her doll lack of life as to play with Rumple or have money the children saw it and so it was true. Bae left the library a little worried after that. If Rumple could get money, then could he get a date with Miss Belle before his papa?

He looked at were his papa was still talking with the librarian, if he didn't do something soon Bae would have to talk with his dad about possible competition very soon.

* * *

 

The children didn't talked about it with anyone else and if Miss belle found it odd to find Rumple with cards and coins, or the way Lily watched the elf and didn't leave Anne out of her sight, she didn't mentioned either.

One afternoon the children come to the conclusion that the elf was being naughty again, as they couldn't find him again. This time they decided to look after him themselves to not bother Miss Belle as she finished talking to some patrons of the library.

That’s it until they finally found the little elf.

“Miss Belle, Miss Belle!” Bae came running towards her “Mis Belle it's Rumple!”

“You can't find him again?” Belle was trying to remember were she had left the little doll when August replied.

“We found him Miss Belle but he is..”

“He is stealing cookies!” Lily finished for him. The girl was willing to think badly of Rumple since the day he kidnapped her doll.

“Hey i was telling Miss Belle that! “ a sulkier August replied, fuming to his friend

“Maybe he isn’t stealing them! maybe they are his?” offered Emma happily. If Rumple had cookies that meant that he had a salary which, according to the book she read, was something good. Her elf was fighting for his rights and winning!

“What?” Belle couldn't understand what was going on.

The children guide her towards the spot were they found the elf. There on one shelf was Rumple, a cookie box closed besides him and a cookie in his hand, almost as if he was in the process of eating it.

She didn't put the elf there, but most important she don't have those cookies or leave them there with the elf. Then how?

“That's rude! he should share” Ava crossed her arms glaring at Rumple “We all share the cookies when Miss Belle or some mama bring them to the library”

She was right. As a rule the library was an space in which no food or drink was allowed, but being Christmas season Belle relented as long as they were careful and bring enough for all. Taking the box besides the doll, very careful not to touch the elf, Belle opened the box. They were enough cookies for all of them including herself. Normal butter cookies with frosting from the bakery close to the library just like the one Rumple had in hand.

Trying one to make sure they were well she started to pass the cookies around to the kids.

Belle Was sure she knew who was moving the elf by now. The only patron who was there the same days the kids were, the only one who pay attention to the children and to Belle histories of the elf and their reactions to it. The only one who Belle could think would do such things to be sincere. It had to be Mr Gold!

But Why?

One could say because of the children, after all they loved the little elf, but then there were the gift to Belle like the rose. Maybe it was nothing, maybe Belle was overthinking this, but she had a feeling that she was right and as such she starting to plan a counter attack. This time was all of nothing, if Rumple didn't make his wish come true she will!


	4. Of dreams come true

When the library finally opened that morning the mistletoe had been hanged and belle had re passed the plan several times with different degrees of success in her mind.

The plan in itself was easy: make Gold stay in the library and manage to find him under the mistletoe. If he kissed her back she would ask him out and everything would be perfect. If not she had already buy ice cream and wine the pass a depressing night in her apartment.

The children finally arrived at 3 pm as usual with their parents. Gold among them.

“we are going to start to read a Christmas carol today!” Belle said quickly to all the group. She knew Gold liked Dickens, and she needed him to stay if she was to make her plan work “It’s the story of a man called Scrooge that it’s visited by three ghost on Christmas night…”

“Like Gold!” interrupted lily

“Sorry?” exclaimed  Belle

“Mom say that your first name the other day: Scrooge!” said the girl scrunching her nose as to point what she thought of the horrible name.

Lily’s mother had the grace to flush furiously, say bye to her daughter and rush out trying, and failing, to seem composed.

“Dads name is Robert” told a confused Bae to the girl.

Mr Gold waited a moment to make sure they were alone to broke in laughter. Belle felt the warm of his laugh fill her body with determination. This had to work! 

She prepared to steer Mr Gold to the space where the mistletoe was when August father call her apart. Reluctant leaving the rest of the group she leave with Marco towards a side of the library. The child was having a mild stomach bug and he couldn't eat sweets no matter what the child said. 

By the moment Belle was back Gold was nowhere to be seen, and the children were happily waiting near for her to start the story. Her disappointing lasted a few second when She noted Gold near the check out table looking a little alarmed.

“I...um I wanted to ask for an extension of time in the return of this book?” he soon compose himself.

“Of course” He was still there, her plan could still work “Maybe be could fill the information after the story?”

“Ah, sorry i can't stay today” replied a contrite Mr gold, lowering his voice he continued “ I have to pick a few presents still, but i will come back in no time”

Disappointed she stooped her conversation with Gold

“Are you alright?” he asked confuse. It was not like Belle to look so gloom so suddenly

“Yes, i just... nevermind” Maybe when he came back, there is always next time reassured herself Belle “come Mr gold, you will have this book back in no time”

They where reaching the table when a childish voice interrupted her troughs.

“Hey, Look up!...”

_ It must be the mistletoe _ Belle through. But t hat was not posible? she hadn’t put the mistletoe there this morning. Had she? with the nerves she had all morning Belle couldn't quite recall where the mistletoe could be.

What the hell, the time was passing and this was her opportunity!

Grabbing the lapels of Mr Gold suit she stood in her tiptoes to plant a kiss on him. Warm slightly chapped lips met hers, oh and wasn't it far much better than anything Belle had ever imagined it would be. After a moment of surprise, he returned her kiss turning her legs to jelly, good thing he decided to embrace her at the moment or she would had fallen right there.

His heat and perfume involved belle making her forget all around her except for Mr Gold. unfortunately it was not to dure. a light cleaning of the throat brought them back to reality. jerking away they turned to see the children looking intently to them.

“Are we going to hear an story today or not?” said Emma Nolan, the apparently throat cleaner.

To her side Bae looked both surprised, embarrassed that it was his dad doing this in front of his friends and Rumple, and secretly proud of him. He knew his father could do this! he only hopped the elf wasn’t too hurt.

“Sorry, you see when adults found themselves together under mistletoe…”

“ yes yes, my parents do the same” interrupted the girl grimacing, adults where yuk! “but there is not mistletoe above you!” that was cheating according to Emma. Somethings where traditions, you can't go against them according to her mama, but another all together was being yuk in front of her with no cause.

“you are cheating Christmas! there is not mistletoe so no kiss required.” continued the child

“but the look up…” insisted the librarian. Looking up she saw no mistletoe only

“Rumple! Look up Rumple is tangling from the lights, that what i meant” insisted Emma

It was. The elf somehow was hanging from one arm from the fairy lights above them like an acrobat.

“I almost forgot i put it there” Robert said in low voice, voice still husky, as if taking to himself.

“You put him there?” answered her, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

Apparently only she had hear him, thank god! the children loved to believe the elf was alive somehow. The way he flushed answered all she needed to know about the more and more strangest places and poses she had seem the elf in.

“Yes, Rumple is odd like that, we all know it” continued Emma, with a murmur of approval behind her. They all loved their elf. It was a good funny elf, with amazing adventures they were sure, and those two were breaking his little heart “but that don't mean you can cheat Christmas!”

“Yeah, no kissing except for mistletoe, is a rule!” supported Ava

“an important one!” insisted lily

“It's a tradition. kiss under the elf to win his approval” lied quickly Gold, flushing at the silly thing he just say.

“I never hear of that tradition”insisted Emma ”The book didn't say anything about kisses”

“umm..it’s new” He looked at Belle for support but she limited to smile to him.

Emma was sure he was lying. She had a superpower, she knew when people lie to her. But this was Bae’s papa, she had noted how he seemed the librarian when she wasn't looking. Just like her papa looked at her mama when she was distracted. It meant true love like her mama said when she asked about it.

She supposed she could let it pass this time.

“Well you would have to do something more nice to Miss Belle to won Rumple’s approval. He really likes Miss Belle a lot!” That was all she was going to say, she couldn't betray the elf trust now that he only have his pride to support him.

The flush on Belle's face came back full force with the idea “something more nice” planted in her brain. As if catching her line of thought Mr Gold smirked in her direction, downright leering.

“Oh, i fully intend to. If miss Belle has the time of course” Conceived Bastard! not that Belle would denied or refuse the chance.

“And...there is tale time?” insisted Nicholas from behind his sister.

“Of course i meant .. later?” He seemed unsure, Belle make sure to catch his eyes and nod. The relief flicker in his face for a moment before the fake conceive came back. “Right, now … are we going to hear our tale?”

“Miss Belle” interrupted Nicholas “Maybe you could tell us instead how did Rumple came to be there? I mean i saw him in the desk when we enter and now he is there. Do you know how he do it?”

“Maybe Mr Gold could tell us how?” she inquired deceivingly sweetly. The surprise destroyed the self assured look on him. Take that! payback is a bitch “He seems to know a lot of things about Elves that are not in the book”

The kids seemed to agree and started to bombard questions to an increasingly nervous Gold as they steer him to her storytelling chair.

_ Should i feel bad for throwing Gold to the wolves? Save him from the kids? _ Shooting a look up Belle met the naughty expression of the elf over her head, smiling wickedly back.  _ Maybe _ but she did not.


	5. Of post credits scenes

"Then papa took me and Belle to Grannie's and buy us and hamburgers with chips" continued Bae relaying for the fifth time the date they had with Belle.

Since the first date Mr Gold An Belle Had lasta week they seemed joint by the hip. They were most of the time together, and Bae couldn't hide his glee at the fact that his papa finally had a girlfriend. Miss Belle was perfect! she was sweet and nice, she gave great hugs and made his papa happy. On top of all that he didn't have to wait until storytime to hear her stories, something his friend quite envy him for. 

"You should stop with thath!" complained Emma to his side "Rumple could hear you!"

That was the only downside of the whole issue, they were worried about the little elf. He had not been hiding as well as before. The little elf was depresed, he liked Miss Belle so much after all!

"Where is Rumple anyways?" asked August

"Nick and i saw him in the romance novel's section eating chips" answered Ava

"He is depressed" insisted lily " My mom says that people tend to eat a lot when they are sad"

"yeah, but it was either he or dad and i believe that miss bell would be a good mom one day" Bae did feel guilty, but he couldn't come to regret his actions. Not even for Rumple.

"yes, she doesn't seems like the evil stepmother of Cinderella`s book" replied Emma

Poor rumple they broke his heart. Bae had told his father about the crush te elf had on the librarian after his first date with Belle so he didn't kiss the librarian in front of the poor Elf, but sometimes his father forgot about this.

"Dad says luck in game bad luck in love, and he plays cards well so..." insisted August

"Maybe we can found  him a girlfriend his size?" offered unsure Ava.

"Lily" started Emma looking to the girl "Does Anna have any friend that she could present him?"

**THE END**


End file.
